Can coffee really protect you against disease? Judging from the results of a number of studies, absolutely. Our recent blog post 6 benefits of coffee to get you buzzing mentioned research demonstrating coffee’s antidepressant properties, and it’s not just the brain that benefits.
Heart
A Japanese study found that one coffee a day can cut heart disease risk by 16% and suffering a stroke by 20%. It can raise blood pressure, but this is usually short-lived. If you do suffer high blood pressure, it might be wise to steer clear, however.
Kidney stones
Just one cup of coffee a day can cut your risk of developing kidney stones by 26%, compared with drinking less than once a week, according to a Harvard study.
Multiple sclerosis
The neurological disease is 33% less likely to come your way in the next year when you drink four or more coffees a day, according to the American Academy of Neurology.
Parkinson’s disease
A range of studies have revealed a risk reduction of up to 60% for Parkinson’s disease. The benefits only apply to coffee with caffeine.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s is incurable, but you can cut your risks through eating healthily and, it turns out, by drinking coffee. Risks can be reduced by up to 65%, according to a report published in the European Journal of Neurology.
Type 2 diabetes
Researchers at Harvard analysed 28 studies to conclude that coffee cuts your risks of becoming diabetic: by 8% with a single coffee a day, and up to 33% when drinking 6 cups a day. A Finnish study published in 2006 revealed that drinking coffee when already diagnosed with type II diabetes can lower the risk of death by up to 30%.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a condition affecting the liver, causing it to fail to function properly. Several studies have found evidence to show that drinking four or more cups of coffee daily can lower risk of cirrhosis by as much as 80%.
Cancer
Sticking with the liver – at first – the University of Hawaii Cancer Centre claims that two or three coffees daily will mean you’re 38% less likely to develop liver cancer.
Four coffees or more ought to reduce your melanoma risks by up to 20%, according to the National Cancer Institute in the US.
Colorectal cancer risks may drop by as much as 15% for drinkers of four or five cups of coffee a day, according to an NIH-AARP diet and health study published in the US.